Comparison

Chords Weaver vs maxChord

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side β€” with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Chords Weaver

Features
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Chords Weaver is a hands-on chord instrument you play by ear. Pick a note on the keyboard and it filters to the chords that fit. Choose one, and two pads open up: one shapes its voicing (spread, inversion, octave) while the other suggests where to go next, the right side resolving, the left adding tension. Build a progression on the timeline, and a live piano roll shows exactly what will play. Press play and the progression comes alive with arpeggios, block grooves and strums, each chord ringing in time. Turn on Drift and the voicings slowly wander on their own, so the loop keeps evolving. MORE - Rich arpeggios: ascent/descent, ternary grooves (waltz, shuffle, jig 6/8), a lilting 7/4, and sparse syncopated patterns (charleston, tresillo, offbeat, push). - MIDI Out to your synths, DAW or hardware, with a 24 PPQN clock. - Four scenes, copy and paste, and a "roll a matching bridge" helper. - Optional cloud save: sign in with email, Google or Apple and your progressions follow you to every device. The app works fully offline. - Five languages: English, FranΓ§ais, EspaΓ±ol, Русский, ζ—₯本θͺž. Free to download. Weaving, voicings, playback and saving are all free. A one-time Pro unlock adds MIDI/WAV/text export and live MIDI-out. No ads, no subscriptions. Signing in is only for optional cloud sync.

About

maxChord

Read full description

Chords under your thumb. maxChord turns chord progressions into something you play with one hand. The pads are laid out in whatever key you choose, so everything you touch is already in tune. Tap one to play it. Hold it and drag, and the chord morphs β€” sevenths, sus, diminished, extensions β€” each one a direction rather than a menu. Common notes keep ringing while the rest move, so a progression bends instead of jumping. Then build the song. PLAY β€’ Eight chord pads, in key, labelled with roman numerals β€’ Drag any pad in eight directions to morph it live β€’ Chord Lock keeps a variation as the pad's new resting chord β€’ Inversions, slash chords, and automatic voice leading β€’ Three modes: Chords, Arpeggiator, and Lead SEQUENCE β€’ Multi-track sequencer built from chord tiles, not a note grid β€’ Split, resize, and drag tiles to build rhythm by feel β€’ Sixteen patterns, chained into sections to arrange a whole song β€’ Per-track instrument, octave, volume, arpeggiator rate, and effects β€’ Record from the pads or from a MIDI controller in real time SOUND β€’ Sampled instruments: grand piano, upright, Rhodes, Wurlitzer, vibraphone, harp, strings, brass, nylon guitar, church organ, and choir β€’ A fifteen-voice analogue synth bank with real filter envelopes and oscillator detune β€’ Eight effects β€” drive, filter, chorus, flanger, phaser, tremolo, delay, reverb β€” per track and across the whole mix, each swept with a single thumb CONNECT β€’ MIDI in and out, including per-track output β€’ Clock sync in both directions β€’ Play maxChord from a controller, or drive Logic, Ableton, or GarageBand from it maxChord has no account, no ads, and no analytics. It does not collect your data, and it works entirely offline. Your songs live on your device and can be exported to a single file whenever you want them somewhere else. Made for people who hear the chord before they can name it. β€” maxChord Pro unlocks everything after a 3-day free trial: €1.99/month, €9.99/year, or €22.99 once for lifetime access. Subscriptions renew automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the period ends, and can be managed in your Apple Account settings. Privacy Policy: https://maximumschmidt.github.io/maxchord-site/privacy.html Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Chords Weaver4 screens
maxChord4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Chords Weaver at none against maxChord's 3. Chords Weaver also leads on device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). On price, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price Β· Rating Β· Positive reviews Β· Number of ratings Β· Update frequency Β· Ads Β· In-app purchases Β· Monetization Β· Best chart rank Β· Devices Β· Requires iOS

CostPrice Β· In-app purchases Β· Ads Β· Monetization

Both are free to download. maxChord sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Chords Weaver asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Chords Weaver ships an update every 5 days, maxChord every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on October 6, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences Β· 3 level
Chords Weaver versus maxChord: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterChords WeavermaxChord
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 5 days β€” betterEvery 10 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo β€” betterYes
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod β€” betteriPhone
Requires iOS15.0 β€” better17.0
Further details β€” not scored
Size32 MB317 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperLoup VuarnessonMaximilian Schmidt

In-app purchases

None

Chords Weaver

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

maxChord

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly3 Days trial$1.991 Month
  • Yearly3 Days trial$8.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime$19.99

Questions

Is Chords Weaver free?
Chords Weaver is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is maxChord free?
maxChord is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Chords Weaver or maxChord have ads?
Neither Chords Weaver nor maxChord shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Chords Weaver or maxChord?
Chords Weaver ships an update every 5 days, and maxChord every 10 days. Most recently, Chords Weaver was updated on October 6, 2026 and maxChord on October 12, 2026.

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